Cancer Immunotherapy Program

In addition to fighting off infections, a key role of the immune system is to prevent cancer from occurring. When a potentially cancerous cell develops, the immune system is programmed to recognize this cell as abnormal and to destroy it. Sometimes, however, these cells evade the immune system and are allowed to grow into cancers. Cancer immunotherapy works by “boosting” or “re-training” a person’s own immune system in order to fight cancer. Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have given hope to both patients and physicians that some day soon we will be able to cure cancer without traditional chemotherapy.

The mission of the UCSF Cancer Immunotherapy Program (CIP) is to provide patients and their families with streamlined access to cutting-edge cancer immunotherapies. The Cancer Immunotherapy Clinic located at UCSF’s Ambulatory Care Center on the Parnassus Campus brings together expert UCSF physicians from across all cancer sub-specialties, working closely with scientists from UCSF and beyond to develop the cancer treatments of the future. This is our opportunity to revolutionize how we treat cancers.